Russian Victory Day: History, controversy, and world reactions

Victory Day, celebrated on May 9, is one of the most important national holidays in Russia, commemorating the capitulation of Nazi Germany and the end of World War II in Europe. It is a celebration full of grandeur, military parades, and national pride, yet it also sparks controversy within Russia and on the international stage. It's worth examining its history, symbolism, and how the celebrations have evolved.

• The Russian Victory Day is celebrated on May 9, as opposed to May 8 in Western countries.
• The holiday commemorates the capitulation of Nazi Germany and the end of World War II from the perspective of the USSR.
• The culmination of the celebrations is the victory parade on Red Square in Moscow.
• The event is used for propaganda by the Russian authorities, especially since the war in Ukraine.
• The West, including NATO, the USA, the European Union, and many European countries, boycotts the Russian celebrations.
• Participation of countries like China, Serbia, or Slovakia is perceived as support for the Russian narrative.
• Vladimir Putin consistently uses this holiday to build an ideological message of "defending the homeland" from threats from the West.
• In many countries of the region, including Poland, May 9 is seen as an element of Russian propaganda.

Russian Victory Day, celebrated on May 9, is one of Russia's most important national holidays. It commemorates the capitulation of Nazi Germany and the formal end of World War II on the Eastern Front. While the Victory over Germany is also celebrated by other European countries, in the case of Russia—and previously the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR)—it holds particularly propagandistic, historical, and emotional significance.

On May 9, 1945, during the night from May 8 to May 9 Moscow time, the act of unconditional surrender of Nazi Germany was signed in Berlin before representatives of the USSR. For Russia, this day became a symbol of heroism and suffering and a central point in their narrative about victory over fascism. During the era of the USSR, the celebrations were especially solemn, but it was not until 1965 that annual military parades began to be organized in Moscow, on Red Square.

After the dissolution of the Soviet Union in 1991, Russian Victory Day did not lose its importance—quite the contrary. The authorities of the Russian Federation, led by Vladimir Putin, have made this holiday an essential tool of domestic and foreign policy. The symbolism of May 9 has become closely linked to the narrative about the state's might and the necessity of its defense from threats coming from the West, NATO, the USA, or the European Union.

In recent years, especially after the start of the war in Ukraine, the celebrations have taken on an even stronger propagandistic tone. Russia emphasizes its role as the "liberator of Europe" in these celebrations and continues the rhetoric of fighting Nazism—despite growing criticism from many Western countries.

Although most Western countries—including Poland, France, Germany, the USA, and members of NATO and the European Union—celebrate the end of World War II on May 8, Russia (and formerly the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics - USSR) celebrates this event a day later, on May 9. This difference is mainly due to time zone issues and political decisions made after the war.

The signing of the act of unconditional surrender of Nazi Germany took place on May 8, 1945, in the evening in Berlin, around 11:01 PM Central European Time. However, in Moscow, it was already May 9—after midnight. Therefore, the USSR adopted May 9 as the official day of victory over Nazi Germany.

The decision to establish May 9 as a national holiday also had a symbolic dimension. The Soviet Union wanted to emphasize its independence and distinctiveness from the West. In the context of the Cold War and increasing tensions between East and West, this difference in dates became one of the elements of propagandistic separation from capitalist countries.

Importantly, even today, Russia, led by Vladimir Putin, maintains May 9 as a national holiday, and the celebrations are carefully planned and broadcast in the media. This date has enormous significance in creating national identity, building the myth of the "Great Patriotic War," and preserving the memory of the USSR's role in defeating Nazi Germany—while simultaneously omitting or downplaying the roles of the West, USA, Great Britain, or France.

Russian Victory Day is one of the most spectacular and symbolic national holidays in Russia. Every year on May 9, the streets of cities, especially Moscow, transform into a stage for a military spectacle, culminating in the victory parade on Red Square. The event gathers thousands of soldiers, tanks, missiles, and fighter jets—all to showcase the strength of the Russian Federation's military and to commemorate the victory over Nazi Germany in World War II.

The event is tightly choreographed and serves not only as a form of commemoration but also as a propaganda tool. In speeches delivered by Vladimir Putin, references to the fight against Nazism, the role of the USSR, and warnings against "enemies" from the West, NATO, USA, or the European Union dominate. Especially after the war in Ukraine began, the narrative surrounding May 9 has become significantly more severe.

The celebrations also include:

• Laying flowers at monuments to Soviet soldiers,
• Marches of the so-called Immortal Regiment, which are processions of people carrying portraits of their relatives who fought in the war,
• Educational and media events glorifying the role of the USSR in defeating Nazism,
• Religious ceremonies and patriotic concerts.

In recent years, the victory parade has gained increasing political significance—it has become a show of strength and an occasion to legitimize Russia's actions, including aggression towards Ukraine. The participation of foreign leaders is often limited, and the arrival of politicians such as Aleksandar Vučić (Serbia) or Robert Fico (Slovakia) is sometimes seen as an endorsement of the Russian historical narrative.

Although Russian Victory Day is a state holiday and is presented as a tribute to the victims of World War II, each year it stirs more controversies—both within Russia and beyond its borders.

Many historians and observers point out that May 9 has become a tool of propaganda, used to build the mythology of the USSR as the sole contributor to the defeat of Nazi Germany. In Moscow's official narrative, the roles of the USA, Great Britain, France, and also Poland, which suffered huge losses and fought against Nazism since 1939, are increasingly omitted.

Controversy also arises from the presentation of history—Russia increasingly uses the victory parade and accompanying speeches to justify its own military actions, especially in the context of the ongoing war in Ukraine. Vladimir Putin compares Russia's adversaries to Nazis and accuses the West, NATO, and the European Union of trying to destroy Russian sovereignty and history.

Furthermore, there is increasing criticism of the use of images of children in military uniforms, the glorification of military might, and the marginalization of the war's victims' tragedy. International organizations, including the EU and human rights groups, warn that Russia deliberately distorts history to legitimize contemporary aggression, especially against Ukraine and Central and Eastern European countries.

Significant also are the decisions of some states to boycott the celebrations—e.g., Poland, the Czech Republic, and Lithuania consistently refuse to participate in ceremonies in Moscow, recognizing them as propagandistic and not in line with historical truth.

Russian Victory Day has long elicited mixed reactions on the international stage. In the past, leaders of many countries—including France, Germany, the USA, Italy, and also Poland—attended the anniversary celebrations in Moscow. However, since the annexation of Crimea in 2014, and especially after the full-scale war in Ukraine began in 2022, most Western countries have decided to boycott the ceremonies, accusing Russia of using history for political purposes.

Contemporary victory parades are no longer a gesture of international community memory, but a show of Russia's military strength and a demonstration of its isolation from NATO, the EU, the USA, and many other countries in Europe. The May 9 celebrations are also criticized for aggressive rhetoric, anti-Western messaging, and blurring the lines between historical memory and current politics.

The exceptions are countries that maintain close relations with Moscow—such as China, Serbia, or Slovakia. In 2024, among those present at the parade were Xi Jinping, Prime Ministers Robert Fico, and President Aleksandar Vučić. Their presence was perceived as a sign of support for the narrative presented by Vladimir Putin.

Conversely, Central and Eastern European countries—including Poland, Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia, and the Czech Republic—not only do not participate in the celebrations but also actively remind about the crimes of the USSR, Soviet occupation, and historical manipulation of facts. In these countries, May 8 is celebrated as the day of victory over fascism, but without glorifying the role of the Soviet Union.